MESSAGE FROM THE
CHAIR AND CEO

At Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA), we inspire others to envision recycling products as an opportunity to build something different. This year was an exciting time, filled with changes that were future focused and impacted the growth and sustainability of our organization and the programs we oversee on behalf of the Government of Alberta. We are committed to building a circular economy with products that have been innovatively reimagined and thoughtfully reengineered to create jobs and a bigger economic impact for Alberta.

Within ARMA’s newest program, municipalities and indigenous communities responded strongly to the opportunity to establish and register their used oil materials collection sites, ending the year with 178 locations. We also met on a regular basis with our registered processors to build relationships, implement our Registered Used Oil Materials Processor Incentive Program Requirements and gain greater understanding of this program and the industry on a provincial and national basis.

A pivotal moment in the organization’s history took place in December 2019 with the Government of Alberta’s red tape reduction initiative that removed environmental fees from recycling regulations. This change streamlined the approvals process for adjusting fees to bring them in line with current market and economic conditions, enabling ARMA to submit proposed rate changes directly to the Minister of Environment and Parks for approval.

In response to this development, ARMA began planning the consultation process to address challenges facing the paint and paint container recycling program. For the sustainability of the program, environmental fees need to be adjusted to reflect the actual cost to collect and recycle the leftover materials.

This year also saw a major milestone achieved in Canada’s first electronics recycling program with Albertans recycling 10 million TVs and computer products. Dovetailing with this achievement was the government’s initiation of discussions surrounding expansion of the electronics which has been strongly supported for a number of years by municipalities, our stakeholders and Albertans.  (This would culminate in a government approved pilot project in 2020/21).

Innovation is becoming a key component of ARMA’s stewardship approach as we believe ongoing innovation and development are key to fostering sustainability and evolution as an organization.

We are finding opportunities to enhance and expand existing programs as well as explore new ones, working to fulfill our recycling mandate but also discover waste minimization opportunities that incorporate rethinking, reducing, reusing, recovering and residuals management.

ARMA is proud that the programs we manage generate 1,570 FTE and $180 million GVA by diverting millions of kilograms of end-of-life material from landfills to be used as feedstock for the manufacturing of new products.

We recognize our key partners and stakeholders that help make Alberta’s programs a success including:

• 5,265 registered producers and suppliers who remit environmental fees on the sale of new products.
• Over 150 Municipal and Indigenous communities who have set up 450 collection sites throughout the province, enabling Albertans to be within a 20-minute drive to a collection site.
• 28 processors picking up millions of scrap tires, litres of paint, used oil materials, TVs and computer equipment from collection sites and businesses, to be safely and efficiently recycled at their Alberta-based facilities.
• And the millions of Albertans who participate in these programs, whether from their homes or their businesses.

Working with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, our Board, Industry Councils and staff are committed to delivering responsible stewardship programs by effectively shaping recycling policy, minimizing waste entering the landfill, and creating a value-added processing system in respect of the circular economy.  We, in collaboration with the Government of Alberta, want to provide options to Albertans to deliver on our vision – Inspiring a future without waste.

Caroline McAuley, Chair
Alberta Recycling Management Authority

Edward Gugenheimer, CEO
Alberta Recycling Management Authority

LETTER TO THE
MINISTER

September 30, 2020

Honourable Jason Nixon
Minister of Environment and Parks
Government House Leader
323 Legislature Building
10800 97 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
T5K 2B6

Dear Minister Nixon:

On behalf of the Board, Industry Councils and staff of the Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA), I am pleased to present our Annual Report which addresses the fiscal year of April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020. This is presented in accordance with Section 16 of the Designated Material Recycling and Management Regulation (Alberta Regulation 93/2004), under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act.

The strength of ARMA’s vision – Inspiring a future without waste – is empowered by the partnerships with our stakeholders from the public and municipalities to industry and government which is reflected in this report.

A significant development this past year was the government’s red tape reduction initiative which saw environmental fees removed from the recycling regulations. We sincerely appreciate the support of the Government of Alberta which empowered ARMA to remove barriers and open opportunities for new innovative ideas in the recycling industry. We continue to look for ways to expand the economic impact recycling can have in the province and the increased role of a circular economy.

Our Directors, CEO and senior management are excited to continue working with you and your department to introduce opportunities that will further enhance and improve the recycling programs as we collaborate to share with Albertans our new vision of Inspiring a future without waste!

Sincerely,

Caroline McAuley, Chair
Alberta Recycling Management Authority